Steer wrestler Cassidy hangs on for win
Stampede triumph comes despite veteran's `awkward looking run'
Curtis Cassidy's disappointment turned into a big Sunday payday.
The veteran steer wrestler from Donalda, Alta., wasn't pleased with his performance as the first competitor out of the gate at the Calgary Stampede rodeo.
“I was really skeptical about winning anything after I went, but I was definitely more than happy to take the win,” said Cassidy, who wrestled his steer to the ground in a time of 4.2 seconds.
Although he didn't think his clocking was good enough to take home the top day-money prize of $5,500, his mark held up after the other nine competitors had less than stellar runs.
“There was a bunch of good steers in it today,” said Cassidy, who won the bulldoggin' title at the Stampede in 2006. “I guess some guys had a little bad luck or whatnot.”
Cassidy fought through some bad luck of his own to clock Sunday's fastest time.
“My steer actually ran his inside horn in my shirt when I was catching him and I couldn't get it out,” he said.
“It was a really awkward looking run and I was very disappointed after I got up because it felt like I made a terrible run.
“Luckily, I guess the mud and everything else helped me out and I hung in there for the win, so no complaints at all.”
Through three days of action in Pool A, Cassidy sits second in the aggregate standings with $8,000 in earnings behind Dakota Eldridge, of Elko, Nev., who remained at $11,000 after being assessed a 10-second penalty for breaking the barrier on Sunday.
Eldridge actually stopped the clock at 3.3 before having the extra time added on.
“I knew Dakota was going to be deadly on that steer today and I honestly couldn't believe he broke it,” Cassidy said. “That definitely helped my cause after he went.”
Stetson Jorgensen, of Blackfoot, Idaho, had Sunday's second-fastest time of 4.8s, while Nick Guy, of Sparta, Wis., and Scott Guenthner, of Consort, Alta., both stopped the clock at 5.1 to finish in a tie for third.
Guy sits third in the aggregate standings with $7,500 in earnings, followed closely by Jorgensen ($7,000) and Tanner Milan ($6,500), of Cochrane, Alta.
Only the top four money earners after Monday's go-round will advance directly to the Showdown Sunday finals, while the other competitors can still get a shot at winning the big money with two more spots up for grabs on Wildcard Saturday.
With one more strong performance, Cassidy can advance directly to the finals on July 18, when he hopes to be in contention to take home his second title.
Back when he won the $50,000 top prize in 2006, he believed he would follow in the footsteps of his dad Greg (a winner of the same event in 1990 and again in 2001) and Blaine Pederson (the champ in 1988 and 1991).
“I don't mean to sound the wrong way ... I was like, surely it will happen again one of these years that I'll make it to the final and draw a doozy and win it again, but it hasn't happened for 15 years, so it would mean everything to win it again,” said the 42-yearold cowboy, who has competed at every Stampede — either as a steer wrestler or a tie-down roper — since 1997.
“I believe my dad was 44 the year he won it. It's definitely doable. Obviously, I'm an old guy, so they need to keep drawing me nice steers.”
Unfortunately, Cassidy hasn't had his dad by his side cheering for him due to ongoing concerns about the pandemic.
“He's at home watching. He didn't come down this year. He wasn't sure about all the COVID crap and everything else. He said he wasn't going to deal with any of it and just stay at home.”
But he'll be watching again on Sportsnet on Monday when Cassidy continues his quest to add his name to the Stampede record books once again.
“Tomorrow's the strong steers, so it's going to be all about getting a good start and being super aggressive throwing your steer,” he said.
“Obviously, I hope I'm on the right end of the draw again, but it'll be interesting (on Monday) to say the least.
“Damn near every guy in this pool is an NFR (National Finals Rodeo) qualifier, so it's definitely stiff competition.”